Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup

It's a cool, crisp and cloudy, lazy Sunday; it's one of those days you need a pot of hot soup going.   One of those days you need a hot dish to warm up with after raking leaves or during the half time of the Jets and the Bills game.  You know, one of those days.

So right after church, I came home and threw this together.  It turned out beyond amazing.  So amazing, it is definitely worth sharing.  Enjoy.

Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Soup

Serves: A LOT!  Fills an 8 qt crock pot to the brim!  **Can easily be halved if smaller amount is desired

Ingredients
3 large chicken breasts
2 TBS olive oil
Home Made Enchilada Sauce (see below) or add two cans of enchilada sauce
2 purple onions, chopped
2 green peppers, chopped
1 jalapeno, diced
2 (14.5 oz) cans of diced tomatoes
1 can rotel (tomatoes with green chilis)
1 bag frozen corn
1 can chicken broth
2 cups water
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp salt
1 tsp dried cilantro (or 1 TBS fresh, if you have it)
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 bay leaves

Directions
1. In a large slow cooker, add olive oil and chicken breasts.  Turn on high, cover.  Let cook, while preparing everything else.
2. Make Home Made Enchilada Sauce.  See below.
3. While Enchilada Sauce is simmering, chop onions, peppers and jalapenos.
4. Add all ingredients above to slow cooker, including Enchilada sauce.  Cook on high 3-4 hours or low 6-7 hours.
5.  Serve with shredded cheddar, sour cream, avocado, tortilla strips, fritos, corn muffins or whatever sounds good!


Home Made Enchilada Sauce

Ingredients
4 TBS vegetable oil
4 TBS corn starch
4 TBS chili powder
4 cups water
1 tsp cumin
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp salt
2 (8oz) can tomato paste

Directions
1. In a medium pot, heat oil, cornstarch and chili powder for 1-2 minutes.
2. Add water, spices and tomato paste.  Whisk together well.  Bring to a simmer.  Simmer 20 minutes.

I will never buy enchilada sauce again... this is super easy and tastes and smells amazing.  I think it's why this soup is so phenomenal.

ENJOY!

Almond Chicken & Stuffed Bell Peppers

Two new dishes from this past week's menu.  Super tasty.  And, as I mentioned in the past, we are still eating "Paleo" style, so these recipes are Paleo friendly.

Notes: The Almond Chicken is Jarod's favorite from this week.  It is incredibly simple and fast.  The chicken I used was still partly frozen when I put it in to bake, and it came out delish.  I didn't have homemade mayo on hand, so I used organic from TJ's.  I would imagine fresh garlic and fresh cilantro would be super tasty, but I settled for the dried and it was still scrumptious.

Notes: The Stuffed Bell Peppers was my favorite this week.  It requires a fair amount of chopping, so allow about 25 min of food prep time.  The recipe made PLENTY of stuffing, so I baked the extra in a side dish, and Jarod doubled the meat for his pepper.  The cauliflower in this dish tastes incredibly cheesy and buttery.. I guess thats what happens when one no longer eats dairy...

Enjoy!

Almond Chicken

Ingredients:
3 large chicken breasts

1 tbsp almond butter

2 tbsp homemade mayonnaise

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp minced garlic

2 tbsp cilantro leaves

2 tbsp chopped almonds;

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375.  Lightly grease 9x13 baking dish with olive oil.

2. Mix almond butter, homemade mayo, lemon juice, garlic and cilantro in small bowl.

3. Place breasts in baking dish, season with sea salt and pepper. 

4. Spread almond mixture on top of chicken.

5. Sprinkle with almonds.

6. Cover with foil. Bake 30 min or until chicken is well cooked.

Stuffed Bell Peppers

Ingredients:
2 lb ground pork sausage
4 large bell peppers
1 onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
2 tsp garlic powder
½ cauliflower head, chopped
1 can (6 oz) tomato paste
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp dried thyme
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Wash, core and clean out seeds from bell peppers.
3. Mix pork, onion, carrots, cauliflower, garlic, tomato paste, and spices together in medium bowl.
4. Pack in pork mixture to peppers.
5. Place peppers in 8x8 dish, mine fit very snug and stayed upright.
6. Pour 1/2 cup of water in bottom of dish.
7. Cover with foil and bake 90 minutes.

Chicken Pot Pie

Our family dinner tonight... (great for one year olds!, they can eat everything in here... and our little hungry hungry hippo wouldn't stop chowing down)  So so so good!

Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients: 
2 medium chicken breasts
1 1/2 cup sliced carrots
1 1/2 cup frozen green peas
1 cup sliced celery
1/3 cup butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1 3/4 cups broth
2/3 cup milk

2 (9 inch) unbaked pie crusts (I apologize, I didn't make from scratch ;/!)

Directions:    Oven - 425 degrees, 9 in glass pie plate
1. Boil chicken breasts in large sauce pot with a couple cups of water.  Meanwhile, chop carrots and celery.  After chicken is no longer pink, add carrots, celery and peas to same sauce pot.  Continue to cook another few minutes until carrots are soft.  Shred chicken in pot.
2. Chop onion.  Saute onion and butter in frying pan until onion is tender, on low/medium heat. Slowly add flour and spices, mixing constantly. Pour broth liquid from the veggies and chicken slowly into roux, stirring constantly.  Slowly add milk.  Stir until thickened.
3. Drain remaining liquid (if any) from veggies and chicken.
4. In a 9 in pie plate, place the chicken mixture in bottom pie crust. Pour hot liquid mixture over. Cover with top crust, seal edges, and cut away excess dough. Make several small slits in the top to allow steam to escape.
5. Bake 30-35 min or until golden brown and bubbly.  Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Before baking... 

And after baking!  Mmmm.

Holiday HOT Chili

Yesterday was freezing!  Okay, not really freezing.  But it was 48.  Never has 48 felt so cold - I am thinking that it must be the humidity from living on the lake...  Anyway, the hubs and I went on an afternoon date during naptime (thanks Mom-in-law!) -- we rode our bikes along Lake Ontario and stopped for pumpkin soup at ParkSide Diner.  It was a darling date.  However, we were frozen cold, very cold, when we got back to the house.  I rummaged around and came up with this recipe.  It is VERY SPICY, but so good.  And it just looks so festive in your bowl with all the colors of the veggies.  Enjoy!  Guaranteed for a good warm up.

Holiday HOT Chili

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1 med onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 bunch cilantro
2-4 jalapenos, diced (with seeds!)
1 can diced tomatoes and green chilies (ro-tel)
3 cans diced tomatoes
2 cans chili beans
3-4 cups water
1/2 tsp marjoram
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
sea salt
pepper


Directions
1. Brown beef in the bottom of the soup pot.
2. Add onion and celery with beef, saute.  After a few minutes, add peppers and cilantro, saute.
3. Add tomatoes and beans and water.  Add spices.
4. Bring to a boil. Turn to low and let simmer about 40 min.
5. Serve with shredded cheddar and sour cream.

#14 - Make Mango Salsa

Made fresh mango salsa from the garden veggies.  

Jalapeno plant (we thought it was a banana pepper plant til we realized that green wasn't changing to yellow anytime soon)

Tomato plant

Fresh salsa produce, ready!

And the finale!

Mango Salsa

1 mango

1/2 red onion

2 jalapenos

1/2 red pepper

1/2 bunch of cilantro

2 limes, squeezed

1/2 lemon, squeezed

sea salt

Peel mango.  Dice mango, onion, jalapenos, red pepper and cilantro.  Combine all in a medium bowl, add citrus juice and salt. Refrigerate. Serve with tortilla chips or on fresh fish.  

Spiced Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

I was perusing the ol' interweb looking for "just the right" recipe for cookies this afternoon.  Hmpf.  Didn't find at all what I was wanting.  SO.. what else to do than come up with my own, yeah?  I just might add that they turned out DELISH!


Spiced Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
3/4 cp turbinado sugar
1 cp dark brown sugar
1 cp softened butter
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cp all purpose flour
1/2 cp whole wheat flour
2/3 cp flax meal
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp china cinnamon
1 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp ginger
3 cps rolled oats
2 cps raisins


1. Blend sugars and butter until smooth. Mix in eggs and vanilla.
2. In separate bowl, combine flours, flax, soda and all spices.
3. Slowly add dry ingredients to wet.  Stir until combined.
4. Add oats and raisins.  Mix well.
5. Bake (in about 1 1/2 Tbsp balls) on greased cookie sheets at 375 for about 8-10 min.  Shorter for softer cookie, longer for crispier.
6. Allow to sit about 5 min on cookie sheet before transferring to rack or parchment paper.  Makes about 2 1/2 dozen.

On a side note.. these are GREAT October cookies. Not necessarily May cookies :)  However, I'll still have one today with a little Earl Gray.

Busy Day Cake

Tonight we're attending a friend's birthday party.  I am making dessert.  I have a three month old that doesn't like nap without being held.  This is quite a conundrum when responsible for that thing I mentioned in sentence two.  However, my friend Lani to the rescue!  She has shared her great recipe for just my situation.

Well, the proof is in the pudding cake.  See image below from this morning. I doubled the recipe and baked in an angel food cake pan for a little shwing.

Busy Day Cake

Prep: 25 min.   Bake: 30 min.   Oven: 350 F

Cool: 30 min.   Makes: 8 servings

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

2/3 cup sugar

2 tsp baking powder

2/3 cup milk

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

3 cups assorted fresh berries

whipped cream (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease an 8 x 1 1/2-inch round cake pan; set the pan aside.

2. In a medium mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, and baking powder. Add milk, butter, egg, and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until combined. Beat on medium speed for 1 minute. Spread into the prepared pan.

3. Bake about 30 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack about 30 minutes. Serve warm with berries and, if desired, whipped cream.

(Busy-Day Cake with Broiled Coconut Topping:)

Prepare as above, except omit berries and whipped cream. While cake is baking, mix 1/4 cup packed brown sugar and 2 tablespoons softened butter. Stir in 1 tablespoon milk. Stir in 1/2 cup coconut and, if desired, 1/4 cup chopped nuts. Spread over warm cake. Broil 4 inches from heat 2 to 3 minutes or until golden. Cool on wire rack 30 minutes. Serve warm.

Pumpkin Recipe Compilation

I went to Sam's Club.  I bought a package of three, 28 oz cans of Libby's pure pumpkin puree.  (Say that ten times).  I am learning that most recipes do not call for 28 oz of pumpkin; they call for a fraction of the amount.. like 1 cup or at the most, 14 oz.  Needless to say, I have a lot of pumpkin to use.  And for one 28 oz can, I can almost guarantee that I need at least two recipes.   

So, in delight of today being the start of November/the Holiday Season, and because of a lot of pumpkin in my pantry-- I have assembled some of my favorite pumpkin recipes to share, as well as new pumpkin recipes that look very tasty.

Pumpkin Spice Cake - tried and true

I posted this recipe last fall.   But it's completely worth posting again and baking annually!  This is my mom's recipe and I have enjoyed for many fall seasons :)

Pumpkin Crunch Cake - tried and true

1 29. oz can pumpkin

1 12 oz. can evaporated milk

3 eggs

1 c. sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1 box yellow cake mix

3/4 c. butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350. Combine the first 6 ingredients and mix well. Pour into greased 9x13 metal baking dish. Sprinkle dry cake mix all over. Drizzle melted butter all over the cake mix topping. Bake 55-60 minutes. 

Spiced Pumpkin Dip - tried and true

1 15 oz. can pumpkin

1/2 orange (half peeled)

8 oz. cream cheese

1/2 cup powdered sugar (or less)

1 Tbs. pumpkin pie spice

1/4 tsp. ginger

2 Tbs. brown sugar

Add, in order listed ,to blender, blend 45 sec or until combined.  Serve with fruit, bagels or ginger snaps. 

Pumpkin Smoothie - taste test

Pumpkin Pie Pockets - taste test

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Pancakes - taste test

Also, I am looking for a good pumpkin cookie recipe... one that is more on the denser/chewier side, as opposed to the softer/fluffier cookies.  Any one have a recipe they're willing to share?

Crustless Spinach Quiche & Whole Wheat Drop Biscuits

Quiche.  It's what's for dinner.  Well, here at the Sickler home, at least.

Wednesdays should just be relabeled Maddashday.  I get home from work around 4, totter the dog outside (it's my pregnant walk), throw together a hot meal, then race to campus to share a 20 minute dinner date with Jarod before he heads to a night class. Then I usually sit at the empty table and recover for awhile before packing up the picnic.

But tonight however, was nice, that is, while I was sitting at the table with my two loves (Jarod and Taiga).  The weather was perfect.  We sat outside the Talbot Building, watched the sun drop behind the palms, shared a meal and rested for a few minutes before parting our separate ways.  Ahh, it was lovely.

Anyway..  tonight, dinner, recipe.

So... I threw together a quiche, and it was super dee dooper good!  It's a pretty basic recipe that you could alter with your particular whims, tastes and fancies.  But I'll share what I assembled today.

Crustless Spinach Quiche


olive oil (for sauteing)
1/2 large chopped onion
3 big handfuls of fresh chopped spinach (6 cups?)
1/3 cup chopped green olives [optional]**
1 chopped chicken sausage (precooked kind) [optional]**
7 eggs
several dashes of fresh ground pepper
dash of sea salt
two dashes of garlic powder
2 cups fresh grated parmesan
1 cup grated mozzarella

1. Heat oven to 350.  Prepare a 9" pie plate.
2. Saute onion in olive oil.  Add spinach to pan for the last 1-2 minutes.
3. In large bowl, mix eggs, olives, sausage, cheeses and spices.  Add sauted onions and spinach.
4. Pour in pie plate.  Bake 30 minutes, until eggs have set.  Let set 10 minutes before serving.

**I think mushrooms or tomato or zucchini or broccoli or artichokes or jalapenos or peppers could all be added in fun combinations too.  Also, I think as long as you use 3 cups of cheese, you could vary the kind of cheese depending on your 'add-ins' theme.


Whole Wheat Drop Biscuits
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all purpose flour
2 TBS (or so) milled flax seed
1 TBS baking powder
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup melted butter
1 cup milk

1.  Heat oven to 450.  Prepare cookie sheet.
2. Mix dry ingredients together in medium bowl. Stir in butter and milk until moistened. Drop large spoonfuls on cookie sheet.
3.  Bake 8-12 minutes.  Serve warm!  **Especially good with apple butter, cherry preserves or lemon curd)

One Dish Dinner: Southwest Heaven

We're leaving for a three week vacation in about 30 hours.  This means that this entire week I have avoided the grocery store in efforts to avoid leaving a full fridge to spoil.   This does not mean that it's been peanut butter and eating out, however.  I have managed to assemble some hodge-podgey, yet tasty meals.   This was one was a success for sure:

Southwest Heaven

• Ingredients:
• 2 chicken breasts
• 4 cups water
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• olive oil
• • 2 cups uncooked long grain rice (or brown or white)
• 2 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp salt (?)
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• dash paprika
• dash chili powder
• • 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 can chili beans, undrained
• 1 cup of corn 
• juice of one lime
• 
  

Directions:

1. In medium pot, boil chicken in water til cooked through.  Meanwhile, chop onions, pepper and garlic.

2. Remove cooked chicken for shredding.  Add 2 cups rice to chicken broth water.  Cook rice.  Shred chicken with forks. 

3. In a large nonstick skillet, saute the green pepper, onion and garlic in oil for 3 minutes. 

4. Stir in cooked rice and spices.  Add beans, tomatoes and corn; heat through.  Squeeze lime over entree before serving.  

**If you feel like making this more "tex-mex", than "southwest", stir in a mix of cheddar & jack cheese to your bowl.  Mmmm.  

Banana Cake with Banana Butter Frosting

So what to do with my fruit bowl full of bananas that are starting to round up fruit flies like a herd of cows?  Make Banana Cake!  Then peel and freeze the rest for morning smoothies.

I was thoroughly, THOROUGHLY impressed with this recipe.  Ultra moist, so banana-y, and a 4th of July hit!

Banana Cake with Banana Butter Frosting

Ingredients:

     cake

3/4 cup butter

1 cup white sugar

1 cup turbinado sugar (or white)

3 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1 cup whole wheat flour

2 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 1/2 cups buttermilk ---> just add 1 1/2 Tbs lemon juice to milk, mix and set for 5 min

2 tsp lemon juice

1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (about 4 medium)

     frosting

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup mashed banana (about 1 medium)

1 tsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp vanilla

3 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

     cake

1. Preheat oven to 275 (YES, NOT a typo!!)  Grease 9x13 pan. 

2. Mash bananas with lemon juice in small bowl, set aside.  In medium bowl, mix flours, soda and salt.  

3. In large bowl, cream butter and sugars together.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Stir.  

4. Add dry mixture alternately with buttermilk to the large bowl of butter/sugar mix and combine well.  Finally, stir in mashed bananas.  

5. Bake for 60 min or until toothpick comes out clean, (mine took close 80 min).

6. Immediately place in freezer for 45 min or longer, after removing from oven (!) (Makes for one amazing moist cake)

     frosting

1. Cream butter until fluffy.  Use hand mixer to combine banana, lemon juice and vanilla to butter.  

2. Slowly add sugar.  (This frosting is almost like a banana glaze)

3. Frost cooled cake.  

Serve immediately with hot coffee.  Or as in my case, it was for a post-fireworks gathering with friends on the patio at 10pm, so we had banana cake and ice water.  :)

Taco Soup

It has been rainy and cold (60+ degrees--everything is relative) the past three days and I was in a hot soup mood.  I rummaged my "pantry" (which is really the top of my fridge), threw this together and was quite impressed with the taste.  Yum!  There are two packaged seasonings in the soup and I am apologizing/embarressed that they are in this recipe.. I usually cook a bit more "whole foods" style.  But alas, I'm pregnant.  (My new excuse for everything).

Taco Soup
1 lb ground turkey
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 yellow pepper, chopped
2 cans green chilis (with juice)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 package taco seasoning
1 package Ranch dressing mix (about 7 tbs of mix)
2 1/2 cps beef broth (or water if you want)
3 cans diced tomatoes
1 can chili beans
2 cans pinto beans, drained
1 can red beans, drained
1 can kidney beans, drained
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Saute turkey and onion until cooked through. Add peppers and chilis, saute 2-3 minutes.  Stir in garlic, taco & ranch seasonings. 
2. Add beef broth (or water), stir in all beans and tomatoes.  **I kept adding beans and tomatoes til my pot was full--feel free to do the same)
3. Salt and pepper to taste.  **IF you used beef broth, I found that my seasonings were masked, so I added more cumin, paprika, garlic, onion powder and chili powder... and a few more scoops of Ranch **  Taste frequently!
4. Bring to boil, then let simmer 30 minutes.
5. Serve with shredded mexican cheese, sour cream, green onions, and tortilla chips. 

EASY AND DELISH!  Two of my favorite words.

Secret Ingredient Mashed Potatoes

A sneaky way to slip in vegetables.. and I get compliments about having the "best mashed potatoes" quite often... and they never know!!!

Secret Ingredient Mashed Potatoes
2 lbs+ potatoes, washed and chunked (peeled if desired)
1/2 head of cauliflower, washed and chunked
salt, to taste
4-5 Tbs+ butter
2/3 cup+ milk
1 tsp+ granulated garlic, to taste

Directions:
1. Place potatoes and cauliflower {I like to keep the ratio 2/3 potatoes to1/3 cauliflower} in large pot of boiling water.  Boil 25-30 minutes, until very tender.
2. Drain water.  Add milk, butter, salt and garlic.  Blend with hand mixer.  Adjust amount of ingredients accordingly to taste :)
3. Add any other fun condiments found in your fridge, {i.e., ranch dressing, sour cream, cheese, parsley, etc.}
4. Serve hot!

Step 1: Wash and chunk veggies.

Step 1 con't: Add veggies to boiling water.  

Artichoke Florentine Dip

Yes, the rich and creamy cravings continue.  I feel a bit more guilt about this recipe than the Manicotti Florentine, even if I try to tell myself that it has spinach in it...


Artichoke Florentine Dip
1 cup+ fresh spinach, chopped
3/4 cup artichoke hearts, chopped
1/2 cup mayonaise (I like the kind made from olive oil)
8 oz package cream cheese
3/4 cup fresh parmesan, grated
3/4 cup mozzarella, shredded
2 Tbs lemon juice
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp red chili pepper flakes (IF you like it spicy!)
a shake or two of black pepper for fun

Directions:
1. In medium bowl, cream mayo and cream cheese together with a fork.  Stir in parmesan and mozzarella cheeses, lemon juice and spices.
2. Fold in spinach and artichokes.
3. Press into greased 8x8 dish.  Bake covered 20 minutes at 375.  Bake uncovered additional 5-10 minutes until golden brown.  *If everything is cold, (i.e. coming out of fridge) may need to bake 25 minutes first.

Serve warm with blue corn tortilla chips or warm bread.

Manicotti Florentine

Serious craving for rich Italian food these days.  This recipe hit the spot without too much guilt.

Manicotti Florentine
1 1/2 cup fresh spinach, chopped
1 cup fresh mushrooms, chopped
1 1/2 cup cottage cheese
salt & pepper to taste
1 cup+ mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
1 jar favorite spaghetti sauce (Classico Traditional Sweet Basil for me :)
1 package manicotti pasta (16 or so shells), uncooked

Directions:
1. Mix spinach, mushrooms, cottage cheese, parmesan cheese and salt & pepper in medium bowl.
2. Spread 1 or 2 cups pasta sauce on bottom of 9x13 dish.
3. Fill shells with cheese & veg mixture.
4. Place in dish.  Cover with more pasta sauce and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.
5. Bake covered 50 min at 375.  Remove cover for additional 10 minutes.

Serve with Greek Salad.

Polenta Lasagna

This is one of my "go-to recipes".  One of the "old fall backs".  One of the ones I always try to have everything on hand for, in case I need to whip up a quick and easy dinner.  As a bonus, this is recipe is Gluten Free and easily Vegetarian.

Polenta Lasagna

Ingredients:
1 package polenta, sliced
1 jar spaghetti sauce
4 cups (?) mozzarella cheese
veggies!  [whatever is in your pantry and fridge!] tonight I used about a handful of each:
purple onion, chunked
broccoli, chunked
carrots, chopped
olives, halved
mushrooms, sliced
*sausage [I've cooked it on stovetop before hand OR I just slice precooked chicken sausage links]

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Chop all veggies.  Slice polenta.
3. Layer in baking dish: polenta, spread a layer of spaghetti sauce on top of the polenta, a smattering of veggies (and sausage, if you choose), half of the cheese.  Repeat!
4. Bake covered, for 45-50 minutes.  Remove covering last 10-15 minutes.  Let stand for 5-10min before serving.







Notes:
*Obviously don't include the sausage if you intend to make it vegetarian.
*Because of the water in the fresh veggies, there will be liquid in the bottom of the pan.  Use slotted spoon to serve.
*Other vegetables that turn out well are squash, zucchini, peppers and spinach.
*Polenta can be hard to track down.  I have found it at Trader Joe's and ethnic sections of the grocery store.
*Serve with warm bread dipped in olive oil and black pepper.

Step 3: Layering.

Step 3: Starting the 2nd layer with sliced polenta.

Health Nut Muffins

Health Nut Muffins
3/4 cup turbinado sugar
3/4 cup flax seed meal
5 ripe bananas
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup plain yogurt
2 eggs
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp allspice

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350.  Grease large muffin tin or loaf pan.
2. In large bowl, mix sugar, flax seed, bananas, milk, yogurt and eggs.  In separate medium bowl, combine, flour, soda, salt and spices.  Gently stir dry mix into wet.
3. Bake 50 minutes.  Serve warm with black coffee.

Pad See Ew

WOAH!  This recipe is amazing, as in ahh-may-zing!  My friend, Lani, whipped this up at her house last week and it was better than any Thai Restaurant Pad See Ew I have ever tasted.   She gave me the recipe and I couldn't even wait a full week to make it for my little family.  It was a 100% hit tonight.

Lani's Pad See Ew
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 Tbs fish sauce
2 Tbs soy sauce
3 Tbs peanut butter (nutty or creamy)
1/2 cup lime juice
3 garlic gloves, minced
2 tsp fresh grated ginger (or 1 tsp dry ground ginger)
2 Tbs light brown sugar
1 tsp hot red pepper flakes (optional)
1/2 cup cucumber, cut into matchstick size
1 med carrot, grated
1/4 cup sliced green onion
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
12 oz rice noodles, prepared as directed on package

Directions:
1. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper, both sides. Saute in skillet until thoroughly cooked.  Shred. Set aside.
2. While chicken is cooking, prepare rice noodles (usually cooking in boiling water 3-5 min., then rinsed with cold water).
3. Whisk together oil, fish & soy sauce, peanut butter, lime juice, garlic, ginger, sugar and pepper flakes in medium bowl.  Stir in onion, carrot and cilantro.
4. In large bowl, stir together noodles, chicken and sauce.  Serve room temperature or hot.   Top with hot chili sauce for added kick.

Serves 4, large helpings.

Smoothies

Sunrise Zinger
1 small banana
1/2+ plain yogurt
whole cranberries (big handful) or 1/2 cup unsweetened cranberry juice blend
baby carrots (big handful)
2 stalks celery
2-3 mandarines (Cuties, etc.) or 1 orange
ice cubes

Blueberry Delight
1 small banana
1/2+ plain yogurt
1/2 cup orange juice
3/4 cup whole blueberries
raw almonds (handful)
ice cubes

Green Machine
2 large kale leaves
1 banana
honey
1/3 cup unsweetened cranberry juice blend
ice cubes

Pear Bliss
1 small banana
1/2 cup+ plain yogurt
1 pear
1/2 apple
1/3 cup unsweetened cranberry juice blend
ice cubes

Strawberry Dreams
1 small banana
1/2 cup+ plain yogurt
2 big handfuls strawberries
1/3 cup orange juice
ice cubes

Vita-Meta-Vega-Mine
2 kale leaf
1 large carrot
1/2 apple
1 big handful of red grapes
1/2 cup unsweetened cranberry juice blend or orange juice
couple of big lime squeezes
ice cubes

These are so yummy!  I have been on a sincere smoothie kick for two months now.  And by jumpstarting my day with fruits and veggies, I seem to make better food choices all day long.  And, have I mentioned how tasty these are?!  YUM. 

On a side note, the yogurt is not a necessary ingredient for any of these smoothies.  I prefer a creamier smoothie, so the smoothies without yogurt will just be a bit more "juice like".. and if you keep the banana, it still has a nice consistency.  But of course, have fun and mix up your style!

{NON PROCESSED} Cheese & Broccoli Soup

Aka.. no Velveeta in this soup. **

Ingredients:
2 Tbs butter
1/2 onion, diced
1 cup fresh mushrooms, chunked
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup water
3 Tbs cornstarch
4 cups fresh broccoli, chunked in large pieces
1 1/2 cups carrots, chopped small in food processor
2 cups half-n-half
2 cups water
4 cups shredded cheddar cheese
dash of sea salt
dash of garlic powder
1-2 tsp of fresh ground pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Saute onion and mushrooms in melted butter in large pot.  {Saute just a few minutes!}
2. Add chicken broth and 1 cup water.  Bring to boil.
3. Measure cornstarch in separate bowl. Add a little broth to cornstarch, whisk together.
4. Slowly add into pot.  Stir in broccoli and carrots.  Simmer until veggies are tender {(5 min) - no mushy broccoli! Blek}
5. Add half-n-half, 2 cups water, and cheese. Stir in spices.  Keep stirring until all cheese has melted.  {Do not boil!}
6. Serve with hearty whole grain or rye bread {or croutons, like me}.  Serves 8.

**A little note about this soup: It is wonderfully fabulous immediately after preparing.  However, reheating this soup multiple times for leftovers, makes for soft broccoli and the cheese has difficulty congealing again. I recommend finishing the pot on the first go!  :)